— activist hails new business centre as transformative project

DISABILITY Rights Activist, Ganesh Singh, feels that the construction of the state-of-the art business centre for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) is a transformative project since a major problem experienced by persons in this community is lack of employment.

“We are looking forward for the employment of persons with disabilities which will be major. The majority of PWDs are unemployed,” Singh, also Programme Coordinator of the Guyana Council of Organisation for PWDs, shared with Guyana Chronicle.

The facility, at Palmyra, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), is the brainchild of First Lady Arya Ali and will house five workstations encouraging commerce, a boardroom, retail space, therapy room, cafeteria and washrooms.

“It’s a modern enterprise where persons with disabilities would be able to be trained. The significant aspect of the project is that they would be employed. They will make items of craft and other creatively packaged items that can be exported or sold on the local market,” Singh shared.

The plan, according to him, is to get Government agencies to purchase from these PWDs so as to assist them with a more stable market and income.
Singh believes that the design of the new building is practical and in keeping with the needs of PWDs. “Sometimes PWDs cannot sit for a long time. If they work for some time, they may need a rest for a few hours. All of the facilities for this are there, so everything was considered in the design.”

He said, too, that the location of the building was based on an informed decision. “It is close to the New Amsterdam Special Needs School and a lot of children go there, so when they leave school, they can seek employment,” he posited.

While the facility is expected to be replicated in all regions across the country, Singh feels that the outlying regions should be the first to benefit as there are hardly any opportunities for PWDs in those areas.
Meanwhile, the official sod-turning ceremony to signal the construction of the centre was done earlier this month. The goal, the First Lady noted, is to promote and protect the social, political and economic interests of every Guyanese, regardless of their age, gender, race, religion or even ability.

“Today, we are here to demonstrate our commitment to that cause by making this investment in the lives of people who have historically been excluded from many aspects of society,” Mrs. Ali explained.
“The majority of persons with disabilities live in relative poverty… a disability increases the risk of poverty through lack of employment and education opportunities, lower wages and increased cost of living because of that disability,” she added.
She thanked the Chinese Ambassador in Guyana, Guo Haiyan, for the sizable contribution made to the project.